Music roll magazine



Dec. 18, 1934. T CHEEK 1,984,462

MUS IC ROLL MAGAZINE Filed April 13, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 18, 1934. T F HEE 1,984,462

MUSIC ROLL MAGAZINE Filed April 13, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet? Dec. 18, 1934. T IF' (:HEEK 1,984,462

MUS T C ROLL NAGAZ I NE Filed April 13, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 ,4 M} 7! .2 (Ky/j Jib W 54 Z6 erZfl 2a" 722:9 W77 I Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSIC ROLL MAGAZINE chusetts Application April 13, 1933, Serial No. 665,926

15 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in means by which the music sheets are automatically brought from music rolls in a magazine into playing position for use with an automatic organ, piano or other instrument.

The primary object of this invention is to provide means automatically operated for engaging the lead end of the sheet upon the roll to be played, carrying it past the tracket bar of the instrument and feeding to the take-up spool, such means including more specifically an arm one end of which engages, carries and feeds the lead end of the sheet, which arm functions equally well with rolls of various sizes.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for controlling the travel of the arm so that it moves in an orbit between its normal position and the position in which it engages the roll and in an arcuate path between the 'normal position and the position in which it feeds the lead end of the sheet to the take up spool.

Other objects of the inventionre'side in'the various details of structure and elements-as set forth in the following description and disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of an installation embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the operating arm; I

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3 illustrating various positions taken by the arm;

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating another position taken by the arm;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the position to which the lead end of the sheet is brought at the time it is fed to the take- Fig. '7 is a front elevation of the tab secured to the lead end of the sheet; and

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the means by which the tab is secured to the sheet.

In the drawings are shown a tracker bar 10 and a take-up spool 11 of a player organ to which sheets from music rolls are to be brought in playing position by the mechanism embodying this invention. These elements may be of any suitable type although as here shown it is preferred that the take-up spool be provided with a plurality of pins 12 to any one of which the lead end of the sheet may be secured.

Ihe music rolls to be played are placed in a magazine 15 here shown as of the usual type comprising a pair of disks 16 supported upon and rotatable with a shaft 17 which is suitably journaled and driven by a motor (not shown). Carried by the disks 16 are spindles 18 of the usual type by which music rolls 19 are releasably supported. Fixed upon the shaft 17 midway betweenthe disks 16 are flanges 20 connected by stub shafts 21 from each of which shafts depends a 'strip 22. Each strip 22 is yieldably held in contact with a music roll by means of a spring 23. In the illustrated embodiment the magazine carries ten rollsand is' accordingly provided with ten arms 22 but this number may be changed as desired.

Fixed to the lead end 24 of the sheet on each roll-is a tab 25 having an eye 26 therein and a hook '27 which may be integral therewith as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. The tab 25 may be fastened to-thelead end 24 in any suitable manner, a strip 28 passed through a slot 29 in the tab being here employed (see Figs. 6 and 8). The free end of the strip 22 is provided witha recess or pocket which receives the hook 27 when the music roll is closed preventing further rotation and insuring the proper location of the tab for engagement by the arm 30 as will be described later.

The lead ends of the sheets on the music rolls are fed to the take up roller 11 past the tracker bar 10 by the arm 30 pivotally supported by one leg of a U-shaped bracket 31 carried by a wall 32 at one end of the tracker bar, as shown par ticularly in Fig. 3. A plate 33 mounted upon the other leg of the bracket extends parallel to the end wall and is provided with slots 34 and 35 through which the tracker bar 10 and the arm 30 extend. The slot 35 is preferably formed as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and is bounded in part by a shelf 36 projecting from the plate. The arm 30 is swung at one end from a sleeve 37 pivotally secured to the bracket 31 by a set screw 38 and is thus movable in two planes at right angles to each other. A spring 39 fixed at one end to the sleeve 37 bears at its other end upon the arm 30 and thus tends to hold it at all times in contact with the inner edge of the slot 35. In accordance with the uniform practice in such instruments the tracker bar is, as shown in Fig. 2, in advance of the plane of the music roll and the take up spool and the inner edge of the slot is so formed that the arm travels forwardly from the roll past the tracker bar and then rearwardly to the take up spool. Pivoted upon the arm 30 beyond the plate 33 is a rock pin 40 one end of which is adapted to pass over the shelf 36 (see Fig. 4). The pin 40 is carried by ears 41 fixed on the arm and is yieldably held by a spring 42 in the shelf engaging position. The free end of the arm 30 is reduced in diameter so that, as will be described below, it can engage freely the hook 27.

The arm 30 is operated by any suitable means and in the illustrated embodiment a pneumatic motor 45 is employed. This motor comprises a primary pneumatic 46 and a secondary pneumatic 47. Mounted upon the pneumatic 46 is an arm 48 connected by a rod 49 to the arm 30. The operation of the motor 45 is controlled by a valve and pneumatic assembly actuated by a valve 50 suitably supported in such position that it will be opened by contact with any one of a plurality of pins 51 projecting outwardly from one of the disks 16 of the magazine. As indicated in dotted lines on Fig. 2 a pin 51 is provided in each radius through a spindle 18. The relation and function of the elements forming the valve and pneumatic assembly will be apparent from the following description of the operation of the mechanism and hence need not be set forth in detail.

When the magazine 15 reaches and stops at the position in which a roll is to be played the pin 51 associated with the roll at the right of the one to be played (see Fig. 2) contacts with and opens the valve 50. The opening of this valve connects one side of the diaphragm chamber 52 of the valve 53 with the atmosphere through the tube 54 and raises that valve. The raising of the valve 53 causes the raising of the valve 55 through the passages 56 thus connecting the tube 57 to a suction pump (not shown) through the tube 58 and the chamber 59. The suction thereupon collapses the pneumatic 60 which by the arm 61 opens the spring closed valve 62 momentarily. The air admitted by this opening of the valve 62 acts through the tube 63 to raise the valve 64 which is of the lock type and is held open by the bleed hole 65 until positively closed by the mechanism to be described later. The opening of the valve 64 allows air to pass through the tube 66 and raise the valve 67 which through the tube 68 creates suction in the pneumatics 46 and 47 of the motor 45.

The primary pneumatic 46 receives the suction directly and collapses instantly causing the arm 48 and rod 49 to raise the arm 30 which is normally in the position shown in full lines in the drawing. The pin 40 by reason of its engagement with the shelf 36 causes the arm to follow the upward path shown in Fig. 4 until the free end is above the hook 27 of the roll tab. When the arm reaches this positionas indicated by dotted lines at 70 in Fig. 2 the pin 40 has passed the edge of the shelf and the spring 39 causes the arm to advance into position 71 in contact with the arm 22 at which time the arm 30 approaches the inner edge of the slot 45 as indicated at 71' in Fig. 4. The air outlet 72 from the pneumatic 47 is choked so that the pneumatic collapses gradually and starts to lower the arm 30 after it has moved into position 71. As the arm descends its free end engages the hook 27 and draws the free end of the sheet down past the tracker bar to the take-up spool which is, of course, rotating, as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. As the arm travels downwardly it is held by the spring 39 against the inner edge of the slot the rock pin 40 yielding as it passes the shelf 36 (see Fig. 5). The free end is thus caused to follow an arcuate path and to advance the tab 25 into the path of rotation of the pins 12, one of which enters the eye 26 and draws the lead end away from the arm and winds the sheet upon the take-up spool. As the tab is engaged by one of the pins 12 the pneumatic 47 has reached approximately the limit of its collapse. An arm 73 carried by the pneumatic 47 thereupon strikes and closes the valve 64. The closure of the valve 64 closes the valve 67 terminating the suction from the pneumatics 46 and 47 and allowing them to resume their normal expanded positions. The arm 30 is thereby returned to its normal position with the pin 40 over the shelf 36 and the mechanism is now ready to repeat its operations.

I The arms 22 are held by the springs 23 in contact with the rolls regardless of their sizes. When the music sheet is rewound on its roll by one of its spindles 18 in the usual manner the hook 27 of the tab 25 enters the pocket in the free end of the arm 22 and is held thereby as the rewi11d ing continues. The arms 22 thus act to insure a tight winding of the rolls, to prevent their becoming unwound while in the magazine and to position the tabs of the sheets on all the rolls uniformly for engagement by the arm 30.

While one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described it will be understood that I am not limited thereto and that other embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a music roll having the lead end of its sheet provided at its center with an eye and a hook, of an arm releasably engageable with the hook, a take-up spool, pins on said spool,- andmeans for moving said arm to unwind the sheet from the roll and to present the lead end of the sheet to the take-up spool in such position that one of the pins thereon will enter the eye whereupon the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued by the spool.

2. The combination with a music roll having the lead end of its sheet provided at its center with an eye and a hook, of an arm releasably engageable with the hook, a tracker bar, a takeup spool, pins on said spool and means for moving said arm to unwind the sheet from the roll to carry the lead end of the sheet past the tracker bar and to present the lead end of the sheet to the take-up spool in such position that one of the pins thereon will enter the eye whereupon the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued by the spool.

3. The combination with a magazine for a plurality of music rolls, the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided at its center with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll, said magazine being adapted to position the roll to be played so that the hook thereof may be engaged by said arm and means for moving said arm into engagement with the hook of the sheet of such roll, for causing the arm to unwind the sheet from the roll and carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and for presenting it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued.

4. The combination with a magazine for a plurality of music rolls, the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided at its center with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll, said magazine being movable to position the roll to be played so that the hook thereof may be engaged by said arm and means for moving said 'arm' into engagement with the hook of the sheet of such roll, for causing thearm to unwind-the sheet irom'th'e roll and carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and for presenting it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued.

- 5. The combination with a magazine for a plu rality of music rolls, the lead end ofthe sheet of each'roll being provided at its center with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll, said magazine being rotatable to position the roll to be played so that the hook thereof may be engaged by said arm and'mean's for moving said arm into engagement with the hook of the sheet of such roll for causing the arm to unwind the sheet from the roll and carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and for presenting it to the takeup spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued.

6. The combination with a magazine for a plurality of music rolls, the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll, said magazine being movable to position the roll to be played so that the hook thereof may be engaged by said arm, means operating said am to move it into engagement with the hook of the sheet of such roll, and to cause the arm to unwind the sheet from the roll, carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued and means actuated by the movement of the magazine for setting said first named means into operation.

7. The combination with a magazine for a plurality of music rolls, the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll, said magazine being rotatable to position the roll to be played so that the hook thereof may be engaged by said arm, means operating said arm to move it into engagement with the hook of the sheet of such roll, and to cause the arm to unwind the sheet from the roll, carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued and means actuated by the movement of the magazine for setting said first named means into operation.

8. The combination with a music roll having the lead end of the sheet provided at its center with a hook, of an arm engageable with said hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, said arm being normally positioned between said roll and said spool, and a pneumatic. motor for moving said arm from said normal position into engagement with said hook, causing it to carry the free end of the sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the take-up spool, and returning it to its normal position.

9. The combination with a music roll having the lead end of the sheet provided with a hook, of an arm engageable with said hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, said arm being normally positioned between said roll and said spool, and a pneumatic motor for moving said arm from said normal position into engagement with said hook, causing it to carry the free end of the sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the takeup spool, and returning it to its normal position, said motor including two pneumatics one of which moves the arm from the normal position to the-rolland the other of which moves the arm from the-roll to the take-up spool and returns it to the normal position.

' 10. The combination with a rotatable magazine-fora plurality of music rolls the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll positioned by-the magazine'for playing, means including a-pneumatic motor for operating said arm to move it into engagement with the hook of such roll and to: cause it to unwind the sheet from the roll, carry the lead end 01. that sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued and means including a valve operated by said magazine and a valve and pneumatic assembly for actuating said motor.

11. The combination with a rotatable magazine for a plurality of music rolls the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll positioned by the magazine for playing, means including a pneumatic motor for operating said arm to move it into engagement with the hook of such roll and to cause it to unwind the sheet from the roll, carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued, said motor comprising two independently acting pneumatics and means including a valve operated by said magazine and a valve and pneumatic assembly for actuating said pneumatics seriation.

12. The combination with a rotatable magazine for a plurality of music rolls the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll positioned by the magazine for playing, means including a pneumatic motor for operating said arm to move it into engagement with the hook of such roll and to cause it to unwind the sheet from the roll, carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued, said motor comprising two independently acting pneumatics and means including a valve opened by a pin on said magazine and a valve and pneumatic assembly controlled by said valve for actuating said pneumatics seriation.

13. The combination with a rotatable magazine for a plurality of music rolls the lead end of the sheet of each roll being provided with a hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, an arm engageable with the hook of any music roll positioned by the magazine for playing, means including a pneumatic motor for operating said arm to move it into engagement with the hook of such roll and to cause it to unwind the sheet from the roll, carry the lead end of that sheet past the tracker bar and present it to the take-up spool by which the unwinding of the sheet from the roll is continued, said motor comprising two independently acting pneumatics, an arm carried by each pneumatic and means including a valve operated by said magazine and a valve and pneumatic assembly controlled by said valve for actuating said pneumatics seriation, the arm carried by said first actuated pneumatic being in operative connection with the hook engaging arm and the arm carried by said second actuated pneumatic rendering said assembly inoperative.

14. The combination with a music roll having the lead endof its sheet provided with ahook, of an arm re1easab1y;engageab1e with the hook, a tracker bar, a take-up spool, means for moving the arm from a position intermediate the roll and thetake-up spooiinto engagement with the hook and thereafter moving the arm so that thelead end ofthe-sheet isvcarried past the trackerbar and presented to thetake-up spool by which the sheet is unwound, and a plate having aslot therein through which the-arm extends and by which the path of movement ofthe arm is determined.

15. The combination with a music r011 having the lead end of its sheet provided-with a hook, of an .arm releasably engageable with the hook, a

tracker bar a take-up spool, means for moving the arm from a position intermediate the roll and the take-up spool into engagement with the hook and thereafter moving the arm so that the lead end of the sheet is carried past the tracker bar and'presented to the take-up spool by which the sheet is unwound, a plate having a slot therein through which the arm extends and. by which the path of movement of the arm is determined, and a shelf at one side of the slot, and a pin on said arm which engages the shelf during part of its travel and holds the arm when moving toward the roll out of contact therewith.

TOLBE RT FAN NING CHEEK. 

